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The ecumenical patriarch delivers a masterful inaugural lecture for the 90thanniversary of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Metropolitan of PergamonIoannis Zizioulas talks about the isolation of the Russian Orthodox Churchwho, in name of tradition, finds itself unable to face the modern world.

Rome (AsiaNews) - A great love for Catholic-Orthodox unity as the only wayto face the challenges of the modern world and a profound sadness for theself-imposed isolation of the Russian Orthodox Church are the main pointsEcumenical Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I raised in his address tothe Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. They are also the main thrust inMetropolitan of Pergamon Ioannis Zizioulas' comments to AsiaNews about thepatriarch's speech. For the latter the attitude of the Russian OrthodoxChurch is one of "conservatism," showing an inability to meet "thechallenges of the modern world."

Bartholomew I was invited to Rome for the 90th anniversary of the Institute,an institution that includes the well-known Faculties of Eastern ChurchStudies and Eastern Canon Law.

The Patriarch spoke about what the Orthodox Church expects from thisinstitution as service to the contemporary world. In his inaugural lecturetitled Theology, Liturgy, and Silence - Fundamental Insights from theEastern Fathers for the Modern World, he stressed the importance to thetheology of the great Fathers of the Church, those of the united Church ofthe first millennium, whose spirit lives on as a solid basis for thedocument elaborated in Ravenna, which is the Sister Churches' response tothe challenges of the contemporary world.

What word of salvation can the Eastern Church's theology bring to the modernworld? To this initial question, Bartholomew answered by starting withPatristic theology, explaining that such a theology cannot be reduced to astructured system of truth, but is on the contrary the light and grace ofthe Holy Spirit which gives life to the whole Church and thus "rejuvenatesthe entire world."

A theology that is cut off from Church and society is "a sterile study ofdoctrinal formulations, rather than a deifying vision of conviction andcommitment, capable of transforming the whole world."

During the Age of Byzantium, so reviled because misunderstood, whenreligious live encompassed every aspect of secular life, when "[t]heologicalculture embraced every aspect," he said, every "manifestation, activity,institution, intuition, and literary achievement in Byzantine society [. ..] the Church Fathers were primarily pastors, not philosophers. They wereconcerned first with reforming the human heart and transforming society, notwith refining concepts or resolving controversies." For the patriarch thefundamental aspects of Patristic thought can enlighten theology in the modemage.

Liturgy

First of all, the Fathers of the Church never saw theology as a monopoly ofthe professional academic or the official hierarchy. Theology, Bartholomew Inoted, was a communal experience or as St Paul put it, a way "to bring tolight [for all] what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God" (Eph, 3:9). Again this background it is the Church which guaranteesthe Apostolic Age's normative continuity, from Patristic times till now. Andwhen the Church prays as a liturgical assembly it is truly itself.

Thanks to this liturgical aspect Eastern Christians were given courage underthe Ottoman Empire and more recently under post-Revolutionary Russia. "Thisprofound sense of community must, therefore, also characterize ourtheological perception of the world today. This means that no individual canever exhaust the fullness of truth in isolation from others, outside thecommunion of saints."

The Patriarch also spoke about Catholic-Orthodox dialogue. "With regard tofraternal relations among our Sister Churches, [if] the two lungs of theEastern and Western Churches [. . .] must breathe in harmony, [n]eithershould assume provocative initiatives-whether unilaterally or universally-inits ministry to God's people."

Finally, "[w]e urge you to serve the theological word by breathing the airof theology and kneeling humbly before the living Creator", Bartholomewsaid, invitng the Pontifical Oriental Institute to "play a decisive role inthe rapprochement between the East and the West."

Russian Orthodoxy's insularity

The Metropolitan of Pergamon Ioannis Zizioulas, an eminent Orthodoxtheologian, spoke with AsiaNews about the difficult ecumenical path with theRussian Orthodox Church. This comes just a day after a representative of theMoscow Patriarchate advised Orthodox believers not to pray with members ofother Christian confessions.

"In the Eastern Church, especially in the Russian Church, there is a degreeof insularity that leads to conservatism. There is an inability to face thechallenges of the modern world, with tradition as an excuse," MetropolitanIoannis said.

The prelate, who accompanied the Patriarch Bartholomew to Rome where he metBenedict XVI today, said that "the true value of tradition is only reachedwhen we can reshape our tradition. Tradition as the Christian Church'smessage does not mean doing nothing; instead it contains truth's momentumand does not fear the challenge of the contemporary world."

The Patriarch also spoke about Catholic-Orthodox dialogue. "With regard tofraternal relations among our Sister Churches, [if] the two lungs of theEastern and Western Churches [. . .] must breathe in harmony, [n]eithershould assume provocative initiatives-whether unilaterally or universally-inits ministry to God's people."

Ugh! The EP needs to revisit the talk he gave declaring our ontological differences with Rome and steer clear of this nonsense.

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"In the Eastern Church, especially in the Russian Church, there is a degreeof insularity that leads to conservatism. There is an inability to face thechallenges of the modern world, with tradition as an excuse," MetropolitanIoannis said.

Is it me, or is Metr. Zizioulas sounding more and more like so many Catholic apologists? I'll take the MP's 'inability to face the challenges of the modern world' over Metr. Zizioulas' supposed 'ability' any day.

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The prelate, who accompanied the Patriarch Bartholomew to Rome where he metBenedict XVI today, said that "the true value of tradition is only reachedwhen we can reshape our tradition. Tradition as the Christian Church'smessage does not mean doing nothing; instead it contains truth's momentumand does not fear the challenge of the contemporary world."

What does that mean, "the true value of tradition is only reachedwhen we can reshape our tradition"? Sounds a bit unorthodox to me, but then I'm not a theologian.

Ugh! The EP needs to revisit the talk he gave declaring our ontological differences with Rome and steer clear of this nonsense.

Is it me, or is Metr. Zizioulas sounding more and more like so many Catholic apologists? I'll take the MP's 'inability to face the challenges of the modern world' over Metr. Zizioulas' supposed 'ability' any day.

What does that mean, "the true value of tradition is only reachedwhen we can reshape our tradition"? Sounds a bit unorthodox to me, but then I'm not a theologian.

Since they are in Rome, didn't they notice the scramble to undo the chaos of the reshaping of tradition a la Vatican II, out of which Rome is only now emerging?

As for facing the modern world, New Rome is not the capital of a Christian empire, its the captive of an aggresively secular Muslim one. The EP is repeating the mistakes of Old Rome when it sunk into obscurity during the Dark Ages, resulting in 1054.

« Last Edit: March 07, 2008, 07:49:23 AM by ialmisry »

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For those who enjoy the politics of the Church and the ongoing Moscow-Constantinople stand-off, this will be great entertainment.

For those who love the Church and wish her to dwell in peace and love, this is simply a misery.

How unthinkable that the EP and Zizioulas should launch this attack on the Russian Church from the precincts of the Vatican! How the Vatican must be enthralled with the antics and the petty vindictiveness of these two men, one of them supposedly the spiritual leader of all the world's Orthodox.

Even if the Pope is a man of the utmost integrity he must have felt a small frisson of delight to see the Moscow-Constantinople problem get ratcheted up several more notches.

It is obvious that the EP is trying to capitalise on the contretemps which developed at Ravenna last October with the Russians. He is trying to ingratiate himself with the Pope and the Vatican. How the Catholics must despise these two men, even as they will use them and shower praises on them.

The sooner Bartholomew and Zizioulas accept a cardinal's hat from the Supreme Pontiff and take up residence in Rome the better.

I apologise for my words if they seem strong. I am deeply wounded by this Greek attack on the Russian Church. I am deeply wounded by the bad impressions this will give everybody about the Orthodox Church and its unity and about the quality of our leaders. I am deeply wounded by the thought that the EP and Zizioulas have enflamed the existing wounds between Moscow and Constantinople.

How unthinkable that the EP and Zizioulas should launch this attack on the Russian Church from the precincts of the Vatican!

About as unthinkable as an Orthodox Priest slandering the Ecumenical Patriarch....News for you father, His All Holiness didn't do what you claimed, nor is Metropolitan Zizoulas in Rome.So can we expect a retraction, an apology?Nah...guess not. What an interesting Lent you lot observe.

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Actually, I went over the article again and, after reading ozgeorge's complaint, there are some vagueness. Is Metr. Zizloulas in Rome, or if he had just spoke with the reporter while was accompanying the Patriarch during a previous visit?

We had an opportunity in Serbia to witness false agency report about the words of one of Serbian Metropolitans yesterday.

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If the last two paragraphs of the news article are accurate, then Zizioulas was indeed in Rome with Bartholomew on this latest escapade.

Not that I'm holding my breath waiting for George's apology for slandering an Orthodox priest, during Lent, etc., etc.

Well, we are speaking about if that might tear as apart.

It's curious the report is in asia times while the visit, as covered by European reports, and words of Patriarch Bartholomew, have been business as usual. Metr Zizloulas' words got a bit more poison on the arrows than the last time...

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Curse the Pope, for he is the root and cause of these disasters! - St. Nektarios of Aegina

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» 03/07/2008 13:13VATICANby NAT da PolisIn the "spirit of Ravenna", the ecumenical patriarch will take part in the meeting of the world's Catholic bishops, scheduled to take place in October on the theme "The word of God in the life and mission of the Church".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Benedict XVI has invited ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew to take part in the upcoming synod of bishops, scheduled for October, and to give an address to the assembly, together with the pope himself.

The news of the invitation, not yet released by Vatican sources, comes at the conclusion of Bartholomew's visit to Rome for the 90th anniversary of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, during which he met with the pope. The invitation to attend the synod came during lunch yesterday. In itself, the presence of representatives of other Christian Churches and confessions is a normal practice for synod assemblies, ever since Vatican Council II invited the "fraternal delegations". What makes this event significant is the personal invitation extended to Bartholomew, the solemnity reserved for this, and the atmosphere in which it took place.

In regard to the meeting between Benedict XVI in Bartholomew, there has in fact been talk of the "spirit of Ravenna", meaning the meeting of the "Mixed international commission for theological dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church" held in Ravenna from October 8-14, 2007. The final document of the meeting - although it was released by a commission, and is therefore not binding - was described as "an important step forward" by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the pontifical council for Christian unity, although "the road to full unity is still a very long one".

The document, Cardinal Kasper explains to Vatican Radio, "speaks of the tension between authority and conciliarity, or collegiality, at the local level, meaning that of the diocese, and at the regional and universal level. The important step is that for the first time the Orthodox Churches have told us yes, there exists this universal level of the Church, and there is also conciliarity, collegiality, and authority at the universal level; this means that there is also a Primacy: according to the practice of the ancient Church, the first bishop is the bishop of Rome, there is no doubt of this. But we did not speak of what the privileges of the bishop of Rome are, we only indicated the praxis for the sake of future discussions".

But the ecumenical patriarch will not only be present at the 12th general ordinary assembly of the synod of bishops that will be held at the Vatican from October 5-26, 2008, on the theme of "The word of God in life and mission of the Church". It seems, in fact, that Bartholomew could personally lead the delegation that the patriarchate sends to Rome every June 29th to take part in the celebration of the feast of Saint Peter and Paul.

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Perhaps he will be getting that Cardinal's hat sooner than one might expect.

« Last Edit: March 07, 2008, 01:15:04 PM by Heracleides »

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"And having found Heracleides there again, we instructed him to proclaim the Gospel of God..." ~Acts of Barnabas

"A great love for Catholic-Orthodox unity as the only way to face the challenges of the modern world and a profound sadness for the self-imposed isolation of the Russian Orthodox Church are the main points Ecumenical Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I raised in his address to the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome."

Notice that the Russian Church was one of the Patriarch's two main points with his address.

"They are also the main thrust in Metropolitan of Pergamon Ioannis Zizioulas' comments to AsiaNews about the patriarch's speech.

His Divine All-Holiness Bartholomew initiated the attack on the Russian Orthodox Church as one of the main points in his address to the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. Met. Zizioulas picked it up and handed it to the Press in his comments about the Patriarch's speech.

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nor is Metropolitan Zizoulas in Rome.

I see others have replied to this.

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So can we expect a retraction, an apology?Nah...guess not.

No! No apology. It is His Divine All-Holiness who should be apologising to the Church for disgracing the Orthodox world and for intentionally exacerbating the stress between Moscow and Constantinople.

No. What you're doing is gossiping based on a series of articles which never once quote His All Holiness in any way which supports your claim.

It's possible that the article is a bunch of lies or that Zizioulas was lying to the reporter about what His Divine All-Holiness said. One or the other must be true. Is that what you are saying? Go back and read it again.

It's possible that the article is a bunch of lies or that Zizioulas was lying to the reporter about what His Divine All-Holiness said. One or the other must be true. Is that what you are saying? Go back and read it again.

I suggest you read the article again yourself.His All Holiness is quoted several times in it. Yet not one quote from the Patriarch supports the claim that he denigrated the Russian Patriarch. Did you ever stop to question why? No. Because you wanted to rush in to be first to insult, slander and denigrate the Oecumenical Patriarch. "Kind and charitable people" are not quick to publically insult, slander condemn others on the flimsy basis of a media article which can't even quote the person to support it's claim. So no, I don't think what I said was "unfair"- it is an accurate assesment based on more evidence than your claims about His All Holiness.

« Last Edit: March 07, 2008, 05:45:13 PM by ozgeorge »

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I suggest you read the article again yourself.His All Holiness is quoted several times in it. Yet not one quote from the Patriarch supports the claim that he denigrated the Russian Patriarch. Did you ever stop to question why? No. Because you wanted to rush in to be first to insult, slander and denigrate the Oecumenical Patriarch. "Kind and charitable people" are not quick to publically insult, slander condemn others on the flimsy basis of a media article which can't even quote the person to support it's claim. So no, I don't think what I said was "unfair"- it is an accurate assesment based on more evidence than your claims about His All Holiness.

Hear, hear!

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I believe in One God, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

As I say, it is possible that either the newspaper lied or that Metr. Zizioulas lied to the newspaper. Both are unlikely. This is a high quality Roman Catholic paper headquartered in Rome and run by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. It reports on Catholic religious news in "Asia" (which for their purposes includes Russia.)

As I say, it is possible that either the newspaper lied or that Metr. Zizioulas lied to the newspaper.

Part of the issue I see is that you're presenting to us not only the news article, but also your commentary on the news article. Frankly, I just don't see much in the text of the article itself to support much of your interpretation of it.

It reports on Catholic religious news in "Asia" (which for their purposes includes Russia.)

I see. So you source your "news" from the asian version of "Zenit News Agency" (of which "asianews.it" is an affiliate according to their own website). The RC propaganda machine is your idea impartiality I guess.I guess it never occurred to you that it is in the interests of RC propaganda to cause division between the EP and the MP. If it's on the internet in print, it must be the correct and impartial version of facts.

"Turn off the windscreen wipers. They don't work; they're only making it worse."

« Last Edit: March 08, 2008, 02:13:57 AM by ozgeorge »

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If you're living a happy life as a Christian, you're doing something wrong.

I wonder when Bartholomew and Zizioulas will get around to disavowing this fabricated Catholic news article.

Since it is agitating a worthless worm of a monk in New Zealand they had better start denying it quick smart. I cannot sleep at night with the thought that the Patriarch and Zizioulas have attacked my Church.

No. Silly you for using RC propaganda as your source of information, and making yourself look bad."Oh, the EP is leading us into a new false union with Rome, and here is an infallible article from a Vatican news source to prove it".

Unless any of us were present to hear His All Holiness's words, we are merely repeating media blurb. Without the full story, we are resorting to gossip, ill-informed conjecture and possibly slander. Not a good look for Lent.

And this isn't the first time that the EP has been insulted on this forum on the grounds of media hearsay and incomplete reporting. Perhaps tempers should have longer fuses, and a little thought and prayerful consideration entered into before fingers start typing.

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I believe in One God, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

Since it is agitating a worthless worm of a monk in New Zealand they had better start denying it quick smart. I cannot sleep at night with the thought that the Patriarch and Zizioulas have attacked my Church.

Denying what? You still haven't told us what the Patriarch said to stir such righteous anger in you.

Denying what? You still haven't told us what the Patriarch said to stir such righteous anger in you.Lets see. The image source code for this smiley is "forums.catholic.com/images/smilies/ani/ani_yikes.gif". Even your smileys have to be sourced from the Catholics.

Well, the Moderators did say they were going to do something about upgrading the smileys on this Forum.....

As for sourcing it from the Catholics... I came here after spending several years on Catholic Answers Forum. So I have a collection of the smileys they use. They are not *their* smilies - they have sourced them from various other sources.

As you know most of the Orthodox were booted out of there in November last year. While I was on that Forum quite a number of Catholics investigated Orthodoxy and were eventually received. I make no apologies for having been there.

His excommunication of the Jerusalem Patriarch at the time of the Australian upset, his interference in Estonia, the unlawful acceptance of Bishop Basil Osbourne, his interference and role in creating the mess in the Ukraine.

As for complaining that I lack respect for him... I refer you to the statements made by his monks on the Holy Mountain.